New York City
New York City is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is one of the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over global commerce, finance, media, culture, art, fashion, research, and entertainment. It's also the 'most mutant city,' boasting a high mutant population which has in turn developed a sense of mutant culture and community. Major Events 2001 *'October 14 '- The Brotherhood of Mutants attacks at Liberty Island. It is the first time the Brotherhood and Magneto come to public and national attention as a serious terrorist threat, although government authorities were already gathering information on their activities. 2005 *'February 25' - During a rally in Central Park, there is an assassination attempt on President Lowe's life. During the course of events, Dr. Jean Grey is revealed as a powerful mutant who is capable of blocking a bomb's explosion. Sabitha Melcross makes news by moving through the chaos to usher Lowe into a waiting helicopter. *'August 9' - The first Mutant Registration centers open in fourteen major cities across the US. *'November 9' - A rally for the activist group 'Purity' explodes in chaos when the Brotherhood of Mutants attacks. Thirty-two are declared dead, including four police officers who were at the rally. Video footage appears online the next day. 2006 *'April 19 2006 '- Worthington House, a safehouse for mutants in New York City, is attacked by masked men. The building is burnt to the ground. Two apparently separate groups of mutants combat the men on the scene. *'October 1 -' A massive electromagnetic pulse sweeps through most of Manhattan and parts of Queens and New Jersey. The affected areas are not only left without power, but all electronic equipment in the area no longer works. Eventually, on October 15th, Magneto takes responsibility for the pulse. *'October 14 '- Dr. Charles Xavier and Dr. Jean Grey announce the existence of a 'school for the gifted', a group which "includes mutants," in Westchester. Xavier's School is flooded by reporters and other curious sight-seers. 2007 *'August 2' - The NYPD sets up a cordon in Tompkins Square Park, and grainy videos begin circulating on YouTube purporting to be of a destroyed Manhattan. Although they are initially dismissed as hoaxes, incidents over the course of the next several weeks begin to lend them credence. On August 23, the government acknowledges the existence of a 'Rift' leading to a destroyed Manhattan, and on''' September 12''' they announce that it has closed without warning or explanation. 2008 *'May 17' - A new prototype armor, known as Sentinel, is used by the NYPD SWAT to stop terrorist action when a mutant-related tornado hits Times Square. Nearly a month later, on June 21, Magneto is truly captured by the men and women protected by the Sentinel armor. Major Locations *Tompkins Square Park - Once the site of the first known rift leading to an alternate universe, Tompkins Square Park is now home to a prestigious research center focused on exploring and understanding the occurrence. *Liberty Island - The sight of an attack by the Brotherhood of Mutants in October 14, 2001. *Xavier's School for the Gifted - Actually located in nearby Westchester. But close enough. Major Organizations *Burro Shipping - New York is a known port of call for Burro's Eagle's Crest and is a common pick-up point for mutants. *Stagram & Wolf *Hellfire Club *Mutant Affairs *X-Men *Brotherhood of Mutants Major People Notable People Politics * Roger Lowe :President of the United States from January 2005 to October 25, 2006. In February of 2005, there was an attempted assassination attempt on Lowe at a rally in New York City, when he was assassinated in Washington, D.C. by the Brotherhood of Mutants. *Erik Lensherr :Also called Magneto, Lensherr is a mutant terrorist who made a very public name for himself during the Liberty Island incident several years ago. He heads the Brotherhood of Mutants and adheres to a creed of mutant superiority. He's high on the FBI's list of Most Wanted, and his face is easily recognizable to the general public. *Graydon Creed :The public head of the anti-mutant group the Friends of Humanity headquartered in New York City. Considered by many to be a bigoted hate-group, the Friends believe themselves to be vigilantes, bringing justice and safety to a humanity endangered by the mutant threat. *Jean Grey :A mutant rights activist who came to national attention after speaking before a Senate committee in 2001. She often serves as a source for journalists who are looking for information on mutant genetics or a snappy quote about mutant rights. President Lowe also asked her to say a few words to the public at the 11/9 Purity Memorial. She often presents academic papers on subjects of mutant science and has guest lectured at several universities. She is perhaps most famously known as a public mutant, a powerful telekinetic whose abilities came to light after thwarting an assassination attempt on President Roger Lowe in February 2005, as well as the headmistress of the outed 'school for mutants', Xavier's School for the Gifted. *Prof. Charles Xavier :A noted philanthropist whose true financial worth is undisclosed and a prominent but dignified figure in the mutant rights movement. He occasionally lobbies in Washington and helps to fund lobby groups, and he often appears in the media to speak on the subject. He is the headmaster of the Xavier's School for the Gifted. Business *Emma Frost :CEO of Frost Enterprises. She turned her father's respectable shipping firm into a far-flung empire and is one of the youngest leaders of a multi-million dollar business, and /the/ youngest woman on the Forbes Top 100 list. In addition to her formidable reputation in the business world, her blonde-bombshell good looks and charitable giving has made her a media and society-circle favorite. *Oliver Talhurst :Second-generation CEO of Geotal Aeronautics, a company which makes airplane components. *Warren Worthington, III :A successful businessman who is also the public face of mutants. His money, looks, and very-obvious wings make him a favorite of paparazzi. He inherited Worthington Enterprises several years ago upon the death of both his parents. *Allison Pellegrini :Head of Mus Musculus, the company responsible for creating and maintaining the MRA database. Agents Current *Tom Sikorski Former *Natalie Simon *Bahir al-Razi *Percival Talhurst *Zenith McMillan Mutants in New York New York City is home to the largest mutant population in the world. Estimates suggest that nearly 1/3 of the United State's 3,000 self-identified mutants live in the vicinity, with foreign mutants adding still more to the number. Many mutants come to New York because of the draw of the community - Nearby Xavier's School is a resource many are eager to take advantage of, and there's a thriving subculture that includes theatre, dance, clubs, active mutant rights groups, and a general sense of tolerance. The city government – and sometimes that of the State – is generally one of the most benevolent in terms of mutant politics. It is reluctant to label or track mutants, and the influence of the Hellfire Club helps this along. When it was illegal to be an unregistered mutant, behind the scenes HFC pressure helped make sure that New York City was dishing out the minimum punishment. Legally, New York City is the best place in the United States - if not the world - for a mutant to live. That's not to say that all of New York is happy to be the Mecca of mutants. While there is certainly an accepting subculture for mutantkind, and while the average person living in New York is far more likely to personally know a mutant – or even several – there is also a greater concentration of those who resent and even hate mutants. Since Magneto and his Brotherhood created terror at Liberty Island, New York has suffered greatly for welcoming mutants into its community. Rallies have turned to riots, violence has exploded in the streets, terrorists have targeted the city at large, and there is a clear sense that living in New York carries a risk far larger than muggers in Central Park. In 2008, the NYPD introduced Sentinel body armor in an effort to better police their mutant-filled streets. In the last several years, property prices in New York have declined sharply (making rent far more affordable), several large companies have begun to shift their headquarters to other cities, and tourism has dropped. Colleges in the area suffer from declining admissions. New York's population has been slowly but steadily decreasing. Whether the vast mutant community that exists is something that benefits New York or hurts it is a hot topic of debate, and you'll find New Yorkers on both sides of it - and a huge percentage of long-term residents who really just wish it weren't even an issue at all. In New York, there are some neighborhoods where it is safer to be publicly mutant than others. The Village is known as the center of mutant-friendly activity, while Midtown and the Financial District are less forgiving of what mutantkind has done to its city. Bad neighborhoods tend to care more about how well you can take care of yourself (or look like you can) than whether you've got an X-Factor. Plots & Missions *Green Goblin *Home to Roost *Burro Port Investigations *By Any Other Name *Scientific Method Category:Locations